The Third Party Monitoring Team (TPMT), tasked to oversee the implementation of the Bangsamoro peace agreement, expressed deep concern over what it described as a “difficult and critical juncture” in the peace process between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
TPMT Chairperson Heino Marius said recent decisions by the national government have undermined the trust painstakingly built over more than a decade of negotiations. He specifically cited President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s appointment of a new interim Chief Minister and members of the Bangsamoro Parliament in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), a move that came just months before the scheduled regional elections.
“We feel that the peace process now has reached a difficult juncture. This is because trust between the two parties has been defected by some of the decisions made recently—in particular, the appointment of the new interim chief minister and new Bangsamoro Parliament [members]. This leadership change was something that came unexpectedly,” Marius said in a press briefing.
The TPMT noted that the MILF Central Committee had also raised concern that these appointments were made without prior consultation, warning that unilateral decisions could strain cooperation and jeopardize the transition process. “Consultation, transparency, and respect are extremely important in a sensitive matter such as the leadership of the BARMM Transition Government,” Marius stressed.
TPMT member Rahib Kudto, meanwhile, emphasized that the peace process cannot be reduced to issues of weapons decommissioning or funding alone. According to him, the very foundation of the peace agreement rests on mutual trust and confidence.
“Decommissioning is not only about weapons, it’s not only about funds—it’s not about a question of who’s responsible for the funds. It is also about building trust and confidence, and how that trust and confidence can be sustained,” Kudto said.
He underscored that the only way forward is for both parties to fulfill their commitments under the agreement and to avoid unilateral implementation. “There’s only one way to build trust and confidence—by both sides honoring what was agreed upon during the negotiations,” Kudto added.
The TPMT, which has been monitoring the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) since its signing, acknowledged that the peace process has weathered many challenges since the 17 years of on-and-off negotiations that led to the accord. However, the team warned that failure to address the current leadership dispute and the resulting mistrust could undo years of progress.
Despite the tensions, Marius said the TPMT remains hopeful that the GPH and MILF will return to dialogue and resolve their differences in the spirit of cooperation. “What is important now is for both parties to talk, to understand each other, and to keep in mind the common goal of sustaining peace in the Bangsamoro,” he said.